The Role of Hospitalists in Managing Patient Flow: Lessons from Four Hospitals

Purpose of Review Hospitalists are leaders in healthcare transformation. They develop innovative models of care that simultaneously meet clinical needs of patients and operational needs of hospitals. One example of a hospitalist-led intervention is active bed management (ABM), which has been shown to improve efficiency and patient flow from the emergency department (ED) to the inpatient setting. Models of ABM are emerging in many institutions, adapting to suit local needs.